50 years of the GIGN: a look back at the legendary assault on Marignane in 1994. The elite unit of the National Gendarmerie is celebrating its 50th anniversary this Friday March 1st.
In 1994, the G IGN stormed the airport tarmac and freed 172 hostages held by the GIA (Islamist Armed Group). The images remained engraved in the memory of all the French people present in front of their television that day. Nine members of the. GIGN were injured during the assault, but all the hostages were evacuated unharmed.